Singapore: Rosetta Genomics, a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based molecular diagnostics, announced that the company received a Notice of Allowance from the Japan Patent Office (JPO) for Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-512601, which relates to human miR-92b. The composition of matter patent to be issued claims the sequence of miR-92b and its complement, as well as its use as a probe, including in biochips. miR-92b has been shown to be elevated in cancer and is said to be a key element of the company's lead oncology diagnostic, the Rosetta Cancer Origin Test (COT).

The claims allowed cover an isolated nucleic acid having the sequence of human miR-92b and its complement, as well as to variants being at least 90 percent identical to miR-92b. In addition, the allowed claims encompass a vector and a probe comprising miR-92b, a composition and a biochip comprising probes specific to miR-92b.

Rosetta Cancer Tests are a series of microRNA-based diagnostic testing services offered by Rosetta Genomics. The Cancer Origin Test can accurately identify the primary tumor type in primary and metastatic cancer including cancer of unknown or uncertain primary (CUP). The Rosetta Lung Cancer Test identifies the four main subtypes of lung cancer using small amounts of tumor cells. The Rosetta Kidney Cancer Test accurately classifies the four most common kidney tumors: clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), papillary RCC, chromophobe RCC and oncocytoma. Rosetta's assays are designed to provide objective diagnostic data; it is the treating physician's responsibility to diagnose and administer the appropriate treatment. In the US alone, Rosetta Genomics estimates that 200,000 patients a year may benefit from the Rosetta Cancer Origin Test, 65,000 from the Rosetta Kidney Cancer Test and 226,000 patients from the Rosetta Lung Cancer Test.